Axle-housing blank and method of making same



May a, 1924. 1,492,930

T. E. MURRAY, :JR

AXLE HOUSING BLANK AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Nov. 22 1921 avwmtoz Thomas E. Murray, Jl. I

Patented May 6, 1924.

nun-Es STATES azar THOMAS E. MURRAY, JR., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AXLE-HOUSING- BLANK AND METHOD OF MAKING- S Application filed November 22, 1921. Serial No. 517,056.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. MURRAY, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing in BrooklynQKings County, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axle-Housing Blanks and Methods of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

My invention aims to provide an improved method of cutting blanks from a sheet of metal for the manufacture of axle housings such as are used for the rear axles of automobiles, by which method there is effected .a considerable economy in the consumption ofsteel.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention.

Figs. 1 and 2 are alternative plans of a blank; j Fig. 3 illustrates the method of obtaining the blank of Fig. 1 from a'sheet;

Fig. 4 illustrates the method of obtaining the blank of Fig. 2 from a sheet; Fig. 5 illustrates an axle housing made in -accordance with the invention;

Fig. 6- is a cross-section of one of the segments.

Referring to the drawings, the housing in Fig. 5 has a central annular enlargement 80 1 and tubular extensions 2. the shapes of these parts in cross-section being indicated in Fig. 6. The housing is formed of two segments united along the edges indicated by the dotted line 3. Each segment is as formed from one of the blanks hereinafter described by bending it longitudinally to form the central enlargement and transversely to form the flanges of the enlargement and the semi-circular halves of the tubes. The total Width of metal required for the central portion 1 is greater than that required for the tubular portions. In order that the inner edge 4 (Fig. 5) of the central part of the housing shall be circular the metal of theblank has to-be wider at the point 5 where the tubular part merges 1nto the central annular part than at either of the adjacent parts ofthe blank. This shape is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To cut a numher of blanks of this shape from a sheet is acomparatively wasteful operation because of the quantity of scrap occasioned by the projections 6 which form the widest part of the blank (and which correspond to the portion 5 of the finished housing.) If the parts 6 be staggered with relation to each other on adjacent blanks, as in Fig. 3, there is still left a considerable quantity of metal at theends ofthe blanks because of the offsetting'of such ends. If the blanks be arranged with their ends in register, as in V Fig. 4, the projections 6 will naturally space the blanks so far apart on asheet' as to lnvolve a large amount of scrap between them. According to my invention the blanks are cut out, each in a number of parts which are afterwards fastened together, the parts being such as can be cut from the sheet with an economy of thirty percent, more or less, as compared with the cutting out of each blank whole. Various arrangements ofthis character may be worked out, two such arrangements being shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and in Figs. 2 and 4 respectively.

The blank of Fig. 1 is made of three parts; a. central part 7 of the extra width required for the enlarged part of the housing, including also the projections 6 and the tapering part extending therefrom to the narrower part of the blank, and two end portions 8 of uniform and comparatively narrow width corresponding to the tubular portidns of the housing and welded to the central portion 7. On the sheet, Fig. 3, the wider portions 7 are arranged in staggered positions with the lateral projections 6 thereof overlapping. Between the ends of alternate pieces 7 there is a space ofconsiderable depth and width, the parts being so proportioned that out of this space we may stamp the pieces 8 intended to form the end projections of the blank. By this means there is a large saving of sheet metaLf It would require, including wastage, a quanti-tyof metal indicated by the-dotted rectangle 9 in Fig. 1 to cut the blanks out whole. From 'a sheet of a given size eight such blanks may be cut; whereas by the method of Fig. 3 twelve blanks can be cut from the same sheet. The part 8 it will be observed is taken of a length practically equal to the width ofthe blank through the projections 6, so as to fit into the spaces shown in Fig. 3. The blanking arrangement shown provides only one piece 8 for eacli piece 7. Additional pieces 8 may be cut from straight strips with practically no waste.

A similar economy can be secured by making the blank of only two pieces, a donger piece comprising the center 7 and one end 8 and a smaller piece comprising only the other end 8. Such longer pieces can be closely arranged on the sheet in the same way as in Fig; 3, the longer end of one blank overlapping the shorter end of the next and leaving no space sufficient for providing extra pleces 8; such extra pieces being cut from a separate strip. This would save one welding operation as compared with the two required to make up the blank in the manner of Fig. 3.

Instead of making the ends of the blank separate I may make the corner projections separate as at 10, Figs. 2 and 4. Here the blank is formed of one piece 11 of full length, with its central width corresponding to that required for the center of the housing and with its end portions of the narrower width required for the tubular portions of the housing; and of fourapproximately triangular portions 10 welded on their edges to the part 11. The parts 11 are arranged on the sheet in lateral alignment with one another, with their wider central portions in contact and with spaces between their narrower end portions from which the pieces 10 are stamped out. With the proportions shown the width of the pieces 10 is such as to leave the pieces 11 of slight extra width so as to secure the necessary scrap between the ends for cutting out the pieces 10. Compared with the cutting out of each biank whole and using aquantity of metal indicated by the dotted rectangle 9 the method of Fig. 4 provides thirteen blanks from a sheet of suflicient size to furnish only eight blanks.

In each of the cases illustrated the saving in metal is more than suflicient to compensate for the cost of Welding the parts together.

The" projecting parts which are stamped out separately from the sheet may, be welded to the remainder of the blank either before the latter is bent up to fc-rm a segment or at. any subsequent stage in the forming of the axle housing.

The invention may be carried further, to the point of removing both the lateral projections and the end projections, or rather omitting these from the first blanking operation, and subsequently forming and applying them to the intermediate part.

The blank with lateral and end projections, or with one or more of such projections, separately stamped out and welded to the remainder furnishes a very convenient article of manufacture for subsequent conversion into a-segment of an axle houslng, or for segments of various analogous structures; and for various articles which are bent or drawn from sheet metal and.

which, as far as their method of production is concerned. are wholly or in part equivalent to the segments described.

Though I have described with great particularity of detail certain embodiments of my invention, yet it is not to be understood therefrom that the invention is restricted to the particular embodiments disclosed. Various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the invention as defined in the follow ing claims.

What I claim is 1. In the making of blanks for segments of axle housings, such blanks having an intermediate portion, two end portions projecting therefrom and lateral projections at the ends of the intermediate portion, the method which consists in cutting out from a sheet separately different parts or" the blanks and welding said parts together edge to edge to make the complete blanks.

In the making of blanks for segments of axle housings. such blanks having an intermediate portion, with lateral and end projections therefrom, the method which consists in ciltting out from a sheet parts of blanks lacking at least one of such projections and separately cutting out from the portions of said sheet between the first parts a second series of parts corresponding to such lacking projections.

3. In the making of blanks for segments of axle housings. such blanks having an intermediate portion, two end portions projecting therefrom and lateral projections at the ends of the intermediate portion, the method which consists in cutting out from a sheet parts including such intermediate portions staggered to overlap such lateral rojections, and cutting out from the s set between the extended ends of said staggered parts a second series of parts adapted to form end portions of the blanks.

4. In the making of blanks for segments of axle housings, such blanks having intermediate' portion, two end portions projecting therefrom and lateral projections at the ends of the intermediate portion, the method which consists in cutting out from a sheet parts including such intermediate portions staggered to overlap such lateral projections, and cutting out from the sheet between the extended ends of said staggered parts a second series of parts adapted to form end portions cf the blanks and welding said parts together edge to edge to make the complete blanks.

5. In the making of blanks for segments of axle housings, such blanks having an intermediate portion, two end portions pro jecting therefrom and lateral projections at the ends of the intermediate portion, the method which consists in cutting out from a sheet parts including only such intermediate portions and lateral projections, which -parts are staggered to overlap the lateral rejections, and cutting out from the sheet Between the extended ends of said staggered parts a second series of parts adapted to form end portions ofthe blanks.

6. In themaking of blanks for segments .of axle housings and the like, suchblanks havingf an intermediate POI'tl0]1 'Wlth lateral and end projections therefrom, the method which includes forming-the blank of sheet metal parts welded together edge to, edge and stamped out to the desired shape.

7. In the making of blanks for segments of axle housings and the like, such blanks having an intermediate portion with lateral and end proje tions therefrom, the method which includes welding the edge of the metal of atleast one of said projections to 85 to the flat sheet in order to supply additional metal where needed and subsequently forming said piece to the required finished shape.

articles which consists in adding metal by welding to a particular location on the flat blank, which location requires extra metal, and subsequently drawing the piece to the required finished shape.

12. A segment for use in the making of axle housings. or the like said segment being formed of pieces of sheet metal welded -11. The method of producing sheet metal 40 together edge to edge and the whole bent up to the desired segmentalshape.

13. A sheet. metal blank for forming a segment of an axle housing or the like having an intermediate portion with lateral and end projections therefrom, at least one of said projections having an edge butt welded to the edge of the remainder of the blank. 14. A sheet metal blank for forming a segment of an axle housing or the like having an intermediate portion with lateral and end projections therefrom, at'least one of said projections being a separate stamping welded to the remainder of the blank.

15. A sheet metal blank for forming a 1 segment of an axle housing or the like having an intermediate portion with lateral and end projections therefrom, said end projections being separate stampings welded tothe ends of the intermediate portion.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. I

THOMAS; E. "MURRAY, JR. a 

